Pressure-regulator



(NM0de1') W G TAAPEL PRESSURE REGULATOR.

Ng A Patented Aug. 13, 1895.

a l Q Nrrn STATES i ATENT vrrrclr.

WILLIAM GODFREY TAAFEL, OF NEWARK, OHIO.

PRESSURE-REGULATOR.

SPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 544,395, dated August 13, 1895.

Application filed January 2,1895 Serial No. 533,627. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM GODFREY TAAFEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, Licking county, Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pressure-Regulators, of which the following specification containsa full, complete, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part thereof, in which- Figure l is a longitudinal central vertical section of the regulator with the parts in position for the passage of the iuid. Figs. 2 and 3 are side and end elevations, respectively, of the cylinder-plug; and Fig. 4 is a plan of the regulator-casing with the top cap, cylinder-plug, and piston removed.

My invention relates to that class of press ure-regulators in which there is a main valve, a secondary valve controlled by a diaphragm exposed to the low pressure and in which said secondary valve controls communication between the high-pressure side of the casing and the outer face of the said piston.

The object of the invention is to simplify the construction of such regulators, render the main valve balanced, and provide for its ready removal through the bottom of the oasing or its rotation from the exterior thereof without removal. Y

The invention will first be described and then specifically pointed out in the claims.

A represents the casing or shell, provided at opposite sides of 4its lower end with inlet and outlet openings A A2, respectively, which are separated by a transverse apertured partition A3, having a beveled valve-seat at the lower edge of its opening. Above this partition is formed the piston-cylinder A4, open at its upper end and having apertures a4 in its bottom, affording communication with the low-pressure side of the casing. der A4 is cast integral with the interior of the casing, terminating just below the upper edge of the latter, and is beveled or flared outwardly at its upper edge, as shown at a5. This beveled end of the cylinder is provided with an annular groove a6. From the inlet side A of the partition extends a channel o', which opens at its upperv end into the groove a6, while from the outlet side A2 there leads a channel a2, which extends past the upper edge of the cylinder to the upper end of the casing. Bis a piston workingin the cylinder A4 and vhaving a socket in its lower face which loosely receives the upper end of the stem of the main valve C, which lies within the inlet or high-pressure end of the casing and seats upwardly against the valve-seat in the lower side of the partition A3. The lower nicked. end of the valve-stem is guided in a central bore a9, formed in the screw-cap a7, screwed into the lower open end of the casing. This bore is closed at its outer end by a screw-plug a8, by removing which a screwdriver may be inserted to engage the valve-stem and rotate the valve C to clean it and its seat of sediment. If it is found necessary to remove the valve C, it may be done by simply removing the end cap a7, and thus the other parts of the regulator are leftundisturbed. In its farthest downstroke the main valve C cushions on a spring c, supported on the inner side of the cap ai; but this spring exerts no controlling or closing action whatever on said valve, which is perfectly free to move up or down, it being also disconnected from the piston B, as before stated. v

D is a plug of less diameter than the upperend of the casing A, and having its lower smaller end d screw-threaded to engage internal screw-threads formed in the cylinder A4 just below its beveled surface 0.5, While the middle portion of the plug is beveled, as shown at d', to snugly close upon the said beveled surface a5, and thus perfectly close the upper end of the cylinder A. The beveled portion d of plug D is provided with an annular groove d2, which registers with the groove a6 and forms in connection therewith an annular closed channel d3. The lower end of the plug D is provided with a chamber D closed by a screw-plug D2, and from the top of this chamber leads an opening cli, which extends through the upper face of the plug. From the chamber D extends a series of radial channels d5, which connect it with the annular channel d3 and through channel o. with the inlet A. From the opening (14a channel d6 extends laterally and downwardly roo through the lower face of the plug into the upper end of the cylinder A4.

E is the secondary valve, which slides somewhat loosely in the opening d4 and closes upwardly against a valve-seat at the lower end thereof and controls communication between the chamber D and the passage d6 leading to the cylinder. The valveEhas an annular groove or reduced portion e between its ends which come opposite the channel d, so that when the valve is depressed the high-pressure fluid is free to flow therearound into the channel d6, and also when the piston is relieved of high pressure the lower pressure returning up through channel d will assist in raising the valve E to its seat, this seating being, however, principally effected by alight spring e. l

Across the top of the casing extends a flexible diaphragm F, which is held in place by the top end cap A7 of the casing. Under the diaphragm F and around the upper end of the plug is a space which communicates with the lower pressure side A2 through the channel d2. This end cap A7 is in the form of an open-ended tube, and within it is placed the pressure-regulating spring G, which bears at its lower end on the sliding head G', which rests against the upper side of the diaphragm and forcesit against the upper end of the secondary valve E, which projects slightly beyond the upper face of the plug D. A follower G2 engages the upper end of the spring and is in turn engaged by a stud g3 depending from the adjusting-cap G3, which is screwed upon the upper end of the end cap A7 and byturning which the spring may be adjusted to exert any desired pressure upon the diaphragm. The cap G3 is locked by a jam-nut g4.

The operation is as follows: When the pipe connected with the low-pressure side A2 is opened for the passage of fluid through the regulator, the spring G through the medium of the diaphragm F unseats the secondary valve E, which permits the high-pressure fluid to pass the valve and force the piston B down, which in turn depresses and unseats the valve C and permits the flow of the fluid through the regulator. The tendencyv of the high-pressure fluid is to close the valve C, but this is counteracted by the high pressure on the upper side of the piston B, the diameter of the piston being only enough greater than that of valve C to accomplish this result. Ifnow, the flow at the low-pressure outlet be closed, the low-pressure fluid through channel a2 and around the upper end of casing will force the diaphragm F upwardly against the action of spring G, and at the same time the high pressure will assist the spring e in seating the valve D and will also force the main valve C to its seat, said valve C in turn raising the piston B, the latter action being assisted by the pressure through openings a4. Moreover, the piston B in its upward movement will force the fluid above it, which is now at low pressure, up through passage d6 and past the upper end of the valve E into the space under the diaphragm. It will be seen by the action of the independent piston B upon the valve C the pressure at the outlet will be maintained at whatever pressure the diaphragm is set, regardless of the pressure at the inlet or high pressure side.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. The combination with the casinghaving the inlet and outlet, an apertured partition therebetween and a cylinder above the said partition, of an upwardly closing main valve seating against the lower side ofthe partition, and held closed by the high pressure fluid, a piston in the cylinder acting on the upper end of the valve stem to force it down,a downwardly opening secondary valve above the piston and controlling a passage leading from the high pressure side of the casing to the upper side of the piston, a pressure regulating spring acting on the upper end of the secondary valve to unseat it against the high pressure, and a passage leading from the low pressure side of the casing to the lower side of the pressure regulating device to assist in forcing it away from the secondary valve, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with the casing having the inlet and outlet, an apertured partition therebetween, a piston cylinder above the partition, and a removable longitudinally bored end cap below the partition, of an upwardly closing main valve seated by high pressure against the lower side of the partition, removable through the lower end of the casing, and having the lower end of its stem accessible through said cap above from the exterior of the case for rotation by a suitable tool, a piston in the cylinder engaging but disconnected from the upper end of the valve stem, a secondary valve controlling communication between the high pressure side of the case and the upper side of the piston and a pressure regulating device for unseating the secondary valve, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with the casinghaving an inlet and an outlet, an apertured partition therebetween, a piston cylinder above the partition, and a removable longitudinally bored end cap at the lower end of the casing, ofthe main valve seated by high pressure against the lower side of the partition and having the lower end of its stem entering said cap bore for rotation from the exterior of the casing, a cushion on the inner side of the said cap below the valve, a piston in the cylinder engaging but disconnected from the upper end of the valve stem, a secondary valve controlling communication between the high pressure side of the casing and the upper'side ofthe piston, and a pressure regulating device engaging the said secondary Valve to unseat it, substantially as set forth.

4. A pressure regulator comprising the casing having an inlet and outlet, an apertured partition therebetween, a main valve closing IOC IIO

'upwardly by high pressure against the under side of the partition and removable through the bottom of the casing, a piston in the cylinder engaging but disconnected from said main valve, an upwardly closing secondary valve above the piston and controlling communication between the high pressure side of the casing, and upper face of the piston, a diaphragm in the upper end of the casing and engaging the upper end of the secondary valve, a pressure regulating spring bearing on the diaphragm, and a passage leading from the low pressure side of the casing to a closed space under the diaphragm, substantially as set forth.

5. A pressure regulator comprising the casing, having an inlet and outlet, an apertured partition therebetween, a cylinder above the partition, and open at the upper end and communicating at its lower end with the low pressure side of the casing, a main valve closing upwardly by high pressure against the lower sides of the partition, a piston in the cylinder engaging the upper end of the main valve to unseat it, a screw plug closing the upper end of the cylinder and provided with a central chamber closed at its bottom by a screw plug, and communicating with the high pressure side of the casing, a secondary valve working in a bore through the top of the plug and closing upwardly, a passage leading from the valve to the upper side of the piston, a spring pressed diaphragm engaging the upper end of the secondary valve to unseat it, and apassage leading from the low pressure side of the casing to the closed space below the diaphragm, substantially as set forth,

6. A pressure regulator comprising the ca'sing having an inlet and outlet, an apertured diaphragm therebetween, removable bottom and top end caps, a piston cylinder above the partition and having its upper open end beveled, a main valve seated upwardly by high pressure, against the lower side of the partition and removable through the bottom of casing, a piston in the cylinder separably engaging the upper end of the main valve stem, a plug screwed into the cylinder, and having a beveled surface fitting the beveled surface thereof, an annular channel between said two beveled surfaces, and communicating by channel a with the high pressure side of the casing, a central chamber in the plug having radial channels leading to the said annular channel, and provided with an opening through its top communicating'by a channel de with the upper side of the piston, a removable plug closing the bottom of said plug chamber, a valve closing upwardly against said top opening and controlling communication between the plug chamber and the channel d, a diaphragm held over the upper end of the casing by the upper end cap and bearing on the upper end of the secondary valve, a channel ce2, leading from the low pressure side of the casing to the space under the diaphragm, a pressure regulating spring in the upper end cap, and means for regulating the tension of the spring, substantially as set forth.

WILLIAM GODFREY TAAFEL.V Witnesses:

T. B. FULTON, W. D. FULTON. 

